The present invention relates to swaging tools for use in swaging fittings and, more particularly, to a swaging tool for swaging axially swaged fittings.
Swaged fittings have been used for many years to connect tubes and pipes in various types of fluid systems, including those used in the aircraft, marine, petroleum and chemical industries. The tube ends are inserted into a fitting, usually in the form of a cylindrical sleeve, and then the fitting is swaged with a swaging tool to produce a fluid-tight connection between the tubes. This swaging operation usually is carried out by applying a radial force which radially compresses the fitting and tubing inwardly. This radial force may be applied directly by the swaging tool or indirectly by a specially shaped ring which is moved axially by the swaging tool to apply a radial force to the fitting. The invention of the present application is directed to the latter type of swaging tool designed for use with fittings having axially movable swaging rings. These fittings shall be referred to as axially swaged fittings.
Typical axially swaged fittings comprise a cylindrical sleeve having openings at opposite ends for receiving the ends of two tubes, with a swaging ring at each end of the sleeve. The outer surface of the sleeve and the inner surface of the swaging ring which contact each other are shaped such that axial movement of the swaging ring over the sleeve applies a radial force to the sleeve and, thus, to the tubes. Although not all fittings employ a sleeve with two swaging rings, the use of two swaging rings is necessary when it is desired, as is often the case, to join two tubes to each other.
In situations where it is necessary to swage a fitting having two swaging rings, the tool operator must first swage one side of the fitting to one of the tubes by axially moving the corresponding swaging ring over the corresponding end of the sleeve. After this, the operator must usually rotate the orientation of the tool by 180 degrees and repeat the above procedure to swage the other side of the fitting to the other tube.
Difficulties have existed in the past when swaging axially swaged fittings with existing swaging tools. For example, the need to rotate the orientation of the tool to swage both sides of the fitting increases the time required to perform the swaging operation. This increase in time translates into increased labor costs which can be significant when swaging large numbers of fittings, as is common in aircraft applications. It also tends to result in increased operator fatigue, since existing commercially available swaging tools tend to be large and bulky. Furthermore, the need to rotate the tool increases the effective tool envelope and can make a swaging operation difficult or impossible to perform in a confined area, such as near a bulkhead or the like.
Still another drawback with existing swaging tools is their excessive weight, their rather large size and relative complexity involving a large number of moving parts. This undesirably adds to the manufacture and maintenance costs, as well as leading to increased operator fatigue when handling the tool for extended time periods. Also, because of the tool's excess size and weight, the operator must usually take special care to properly position and hold the tool over the fitting to prevent cocking of the swaging ring during the swaging operation.
Accordingly, there has existed a definite need for a swaging tool for swaging axially swaged fittings which has few moving parts, is lighter in weight and more reliable than prior swaging tools. There has further existed a definite need for a swaging tool that can swage both sides of the fitting without rotating the tool and that can be used to swage fittings in confined areas. The present invention satisfies these and other needs and provides further related advantages.